Polymerization of glutaraldehyde, acrolein and acrolein type compounds (e.g. methacrolein) under certain conditions results in the formation of the appropriate polyaldehyde polymers. Polymerization under the same conditions in the presence of appropriate surfactants produced these polyaldehyde polymers in microsphere shape.
Polyacrolein and polyglutaraldehyde powders as well as microspheres were used for binding covalently at physiological pH in a single step various compounds containing primary amino groups (e.g. proteins, antibodies and drugs). The Schiff base product can be reduced further with NaBH.sub.4 or NaCNBH.sub.3 to produce the stable C-N bond. ##STR1##
The aldehyde groups of the polymers interact also with thiol groups to form hemithioacetal products which under acidic conditions interact further to give the thioacetal products ##STR2##
The polyaldehyde microspheres in various sizes were encapsulated with agarose, a blood compatible polymer of high porosity. The produced agarose-polyaldehyde beads were found to be suitable for various biological applications, such as cell labeling and cell separation, diagnosis, ion exchange resins, affinity chromatography and hemoperfusion.